Located at the top of a rounded hill, the small, enchanting commune of Vezelay is dominated by the huge 9th century Basilica of St Magdalene, which is also known as Vezelay Abbey. This historic religious centre was once an important meeting point along the Way of Saint James, a pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella in Spain, and continues to attract visitors to this day. Vezelay has also become a delightful tourist destination for those wanting to see the remarkable masterpiece of Romanesque architecture which is the Abbey and the well preserved medieval centre. This historic commune is today recognised for its importance and authenticity, and has been listed as a U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Site. Vezelay has preserved its stone ramparts, gates and battlements that encircle the narrow, winding alleyways which are lined with houses dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries. These include the Romanesque houses of the Centre Saint Madeleine and the Maison des Ursulines, the Renaissance Maison Theodore de Beze, and the later 17th and 18th century Hotel de Ville and the Maison du Pontot.
Overlooking the River Cure and surrounded by the picturesque Morvan Regional Nature Park which is scattered with several quaint medieval villages, the small commune of Vezelay is home to almost 500 residents. It is located approximately 130 kilometres west of Dijon in the Burgundy Region of France and boasts a thriving wine industry with the appellation of ‘Burgundy Vezelay’. The appellation includes four small villages, Vezelay, Asquins, Saint Pere and Tharoiseau, and covers hundreds of hectares of vineyards. Vezelay is located on the Route Touristique des Vignobles de l’Yonne, or the Yonne wine road and is comprised of narrow alleyways and courtyards which provide visitors with several cafes and restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and souvenir outlets.
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